Eclipse? What Eclipse?

The weather in Slovenia stays true to the old sayings. March comes "in like a lion and out like a lamb." The first weekend in March we had a horrific snow storm that started with rain and became slushy, yucky snow in a very short time and left us stranded at Ram and Sally's over night. This week, and most of last week, has been mild and cool with just enough sun to melt all the snow.

The landlords came and trimmed the fruit trees and the neighbor kids helped me pile the cuttings on the garden for a fire. I rewarded them with hot cocoa.

"April showers bring May flowers." That's the way it's been our first two April's here and that's the way I'm expecting this April to go too. I've made up my mind that it will be cloudy and rainy for the next three or four weeks, but then what a glorious time we'll have this summer.

I have put my requests in to the Weather Keeper that it is beautiful, sunny and warm for Nana's wedding on 22 April, that the weather clear up some for all of the visitors that will be coming this spring, and that all the wood we've gathered will be dry enough for a 1 May bon fire. This is one of the biggest holidays in Slovenia. I'm still not sure what it's all about, but it has something to do with lighting bon fires to warn of Turkish invaders. I'm excited and I have my marshmallows ready!

However, due to this cloudy weather we have in the spring it is unlikely that I'll get to glimpse the partial eclipse that should be overhead. I got all excited when I checked the news this morning. Then I looked out the window and came back to reality.

Speaking of being a little in the clouds...Ivana has a boyfriend. She's a bit flighty at times anyway and to add romance to the mix is a bit...amusing... I need to have a talk with her this morning and remind her that her chores still have to be done and that she could probably multi-task by talking and working at the same time. We've given some guidelines and Barbara Telzerow gave her the same ones of not being anywhere alone. That's basically it. They're not to see each other privately, which shouldn't be too difficult b/c he lives 60 or so miles away.

His name is Peter and he's from the same area Ivana is from. He also had a drug problem and went to the same organization in Spain that Ivana went to. He was here in Ljubljana for a visit last summer where he and Ivana met officially for the first time and really hit it off. He's written to her, but we've told her she doesn't really have time to write letters. Now he's back in Slovenia and waiting patiently to begin a relationship. Besides phone calls they really can't do much. Ivana is so busy with her final year of secondary school and then she has a major exam in order to go to university coming up in May or June. Once that is over with then they can have a little more freedom to pursue something.

Peter is living with the Pastor in Nova Gorica and his family. We were very pleased with his decision since the center in Spain is a bit unrealistic. Peter was told upon leaving that he's out of the will of God and actually committing a sin by going. Please! At what point did Jesus live in a center! He's started the search for a job already, which was one of the big things we were going to look at. Timothy and I are praying for wisdom. We have a daughter of marrying age and we only want the best for her. Wow. I never knew how much I put my parents through just by coming of age. Thanks for your patience, Dad.

I should also say we had our first SaveOne class Monday night. It went very well and I could say that one of the ladies is even excited! I can’t give too much detail about the class for the sake of privacy. We have a predicament concerning the boys though. We need a babysitter that they feel comfortable with. Ram and Sally have tried twice now, but it hasn’t gone well. Please pray with us for a solution that the right person and situation will present itself.